Charging apparatus for switch and signal mechanisms



(No Model.)

J. G, SGHREUDER.

CHARGING APPARATUS FOR SWITCH AND SIGNAL MECHANISM. No 442,339. Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

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llivliTnn STATES PATENT ()rricn.

JENS G. SCIIREUDER, OF EDGEVOOD, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHARGING APPARATUS FOR SWITCH AND SIGNAL MECHANISMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,339, dated December 9, 1890. Application filed July 16, 1890. Serial No. 358,932. (No model.)

To all "whom, it Ill/(Ly concern.-

Be it known that I, JENS G. SGHREUDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edgewood, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have in vented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Charging Apparatus for Switch and Signal Mechanisms, of which IIIIPIOVGH'IGHBS the following is a s 'iecifieation.

In Letters Patent Nos. 357,109 and 1350,3023, granted February 1 and March 15,1887, to George \Vestinghouse, .lr., and in an appli cation, No. 267,710, of George \Vestinghousc, Jr., and J. (1-. Schreuder, filed March 19, 1888, are described forms of switch and signal apparatus wherein motors are employed for shifting the switches and signals, said motors being actuated by fluid-pressure operating through the medium of inclosed liquid columns interposed between the motors and the valves controlling the fluid-pressure. In order to obtain prompt movementof the liquid columns and the motors, it is necessary that the liquid in the pipes containing the liquid columns should be constant as regards volume, so that the fluid-pressure may not have to traverse the pipes for any considerable distance before impinging upon said liquid columns.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in apparatus for maintaining said pipes in a full condition, and also replacing the liquid which may be lost by leakage.

The invention is hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, is shown a sectional elevation of my improved apparatus and a portion of switch and signal apparatus.

In the practice of my invention I provide two tanks 1 and 1, and in each of these tanks is arranged a pipe 2, extending down nearly to the bottom thereof. The outer ends of these pipes 53 2 are connected to ports 3 3 of the valve mechanism B, which is provided witha D-valve 4, constructed to connect, when properly shifted, either of the ports 3 or 3 with a port 5, located midway between the ports 3 3, and also with a port 6, so located asto be constantly open.

The ports 5 and 6 are connected by pipes 7 and S with the exhaust and supply passages 12 and 11, respectively, said passages being formed in the ma chine described and shown in the application hereinbefore referred to, and with which a series of distributing-valves similar to that shown at l) in Figure 1 is connected. The upper ends of the tanks 1 1 are connected by pipes 13 13 to ports ll 11 of the valve mechanism 0, which is provided with a D- valve l, constructed to connect, when properly shifted, either of the ports 11 or 11 with a port 15, located midway between the ports 13 and 13, and also with aport- 16, so located as to be normally open, said port 16 being connected by a pipe 17 with a fluid-pressure supply. The port may open directly into the air, if desired; but it is preferred to connect it by a pipe 18 with a tank 19, located above the level of the valve mechanism 0, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Each of the tanks 1 1 is provided with a gage 20, consisting of a cylindrical body portion, preferably formed of glass, the ends of said cylinder being seated in grooves in the metal end pieces or caps 21. The upper and lower ends of the cylinder are connected with its tank by pipes 22, so as to permit a free flow of the liquid therethrough. \Vithin the cylinder is arranged a float n3,provided with a stem 24:, extending up through the upper cap 21, and having a metal button 25 on its upper end, adapted when the float is raised to engage contact-springs 26, secured to a plate 27, supported a short distance above the cylinder bya short pipe-section 28. These contact-springs are electrically con neeted to binding-posts 29 on the plate 27. These bindingposts are eleetricallyconnected by wires toa relay 30, a battery 31 being included in said circuit. The armatures 32 2 and the contact-points 33 of the relays 3O are connected by wires 31 3 to the magnets 35 and 35 of the electrically-controlled valve mechanism of the fluid-pressure motors 36 36,en1- ployed for shifting the valves 1 a. It will be observed that the wires from the relay 30 are connected to the magnet 35, and the wires from the relay 30 are connected to the magnet 35. The purpose of such an arrangement will be hereinafter more fully described.

The armature of the magnet 35 is provided with a stem 37, arranged in a passage 38, and having its lower end constructed to close the lower end of said passage when the armature is depressed. This passage 38 is connected by a port 39 with the open air, and communicates with a passage 40, leading into the cylinder of the motor 36. The passage 40 is connected by a port 41 with a valve-chamber 42, in which is arranged a valve 43 normally held in a position to close the port 41'by a spring 44, surrounding the stem of said valve. The valve 43 is provided with an upwardlyprojecting pin 45, adapted to engage the lower end of the stem 37 of the armature, so that when the armature is depressed so as to close the passage 38 the valve 43 will be unseated, thereby admitting fluid-pressure into the passage 40 and the cylinder of the motor, the valve-chamber 42 being connected by a pipe 46 with the fluid-pressure supply-pipe 17. The pistons 47 47 of the motors are connected by rods 48 48 to the valves 4 4, and said valves are connected to each other by a rod 49, so that while said motors are individually single-acting, they operate together as a double-acting motor.

In describing the operation of the apparatus it will be supposed that the tank 1 is fully charged with liquid and the tank 1 empty, and consequently the float 23 has been raised and the fioat2-" dropped. This movement of the floats completes the circuit through the relay 30 and breaks that through the relay 30, thereby causing the armature 32 to leave its contact-point 33, breaking the circuit through the magnet 35, while the ar mature 32 is moved by its spring against its contact-point 33, closing the circuit through the magnet The depression of the armature of magnet 35 closes communication between the cylinder 36 and the air and at the same time unseats the valve 43, thereby admitting fluid-pressure into the cylinder 36, thus shifting the piston andthe valves 4 4 to the left, the valves of the electrically-controlled mechanism of the motor 36 being shifted in a reverse direction, thereby closing communication between the cylinder of said motor and the fluid-pressu re supply and opening communication between said cylinder and the air.

Vhile the making and breaking of the several circuits and the consequent valve movements have been described as being simultaneous, it will be observed that when the gages.

20 and 20 are made shorter than the tanks the float 23 will be raised and the circuit through the relay 30 completed some time before the float 23 has dropped sufficiently far to break the circuit through the relay 30, and hence both of the electrically-controlled valve mechanisms will be in the position to permit of the exhaust from both cylinders 36 36; but as soon as the tank 1 has been emptied sufficiently the circuit through the relay 30 will be broken, thereby completing the circuit through the magnet 35, and admitting fluid-pressure, in the manner above described, into the cylinder 36.

\Vhen the valves 4 4 have been shifted, as above described, into the position shown in Fig. 1, fluid-pressure will enter by the pipe 1'7, ports 16 and 14 of the valve mechanism 0, and pipe 13 into the upper portion of tank 1, thereby forcing the liquid in said tank up through the pipe 2, the ports 3 and 6 of valve mechanism B, and pipe 8 to the supply-pipe 11 of the switch-controlling mechanism of the application hereinbefore referred to. If one of the distributing-valves D of said mechanism be shifted the liquid will flow to the pipe 50, leading to the switch-shifting mechanism, thereby imparting an impulse to the liquid in said pipe and shifting the valve mechanism to which said pipe is connected. The impulse thus imparted to the liquid column will displace a portion of the liquid in the exhaust-pipe (not shown) leading to the same valve mechanism, and the displaced liquid will flow by the pipe 7, ports 5 and 3 of the valve mechanism B, and pipe 2 into the tank 1. The air thus displaced by the liquid will flow by the pipe 13 and ports 14 and 15 to the air, or by the pipe 18 into the tank 19.

As soon as the tank 1 is filled and the tank 1 emptied by repeated openings of the valve D, the valves 4 and 4 will be shifted by a reversal of the operations hereinbefore described, said reversal being automatically eifected by the raising and lowering of the floats 23 and 23. When the valves 4 and 4 are thus shifted the fluid-pressure supply pipe 17 will be connected with the tank 1 by the port 14 and pipe 13' and the liquid will flow from the tank 1 through the pipe 2 and port 3 to the pipe 8. The exhaust-liquid will flow by the ports 3 and 5 and pipe 2 into tank 1 and the displaced air will escape.

\Vhen it is necessary to increase the liquid in the tanks or pipes so as to compensate for loss by leakage or otherwise, such liquid is poured in the tank'19 and will flow by the pipe 18, ports 15 and 14 or 14, dependent upon the position of the valve 4, and pipe 13 or 13 into either one of the tanks 1 or 1, the tank 19 being elevated sufficiently above the valve mechanism and tanks.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. In an apparatus for operating switches by fiuid-pressure operating on a liquid column, the combination of two valve mechanisms, two tanks, each provided with two connections with each of the valve mechanisms, one of the valve mechanisms having an uninterrupted connection with a fluid-pressure supply, the other valve mechanism havinga supply and an exhaust connection with the valves of the switch apparatus, and means for shifting the valves of said valve mechanisms so as to connect the fluid-pressure supply and the supply-pipe leading to the switch apparatus simultaneously with either one of-the tanks and the other tank with the exhaustconnection of the switch apparatus and with a port exhausting to the air, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for operating switches by fluid-pressure operating on a liquid column, the combination of two valve mechanisms, two tanks, each provided with two connections with each of the valve mechanisms, one of the valve mechanisms having an uninterrupted connection with a fluid-pressure supply, the other valve mechanism having a supply and an exhaust connection with the valves of the switch apparatus, and mechanism controlled by the height of the liquid in the tanks for shifting the valves of said valve 1 5' mechanisms, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

J ENS G. SCHREUDER. .Vitnesses:

W. B. CORWIN, DARWIN S. WOLOOTT. 

